Adventures in Europe: A Trip along the Cote D'Azur: Nice, Monaco, Ventimiglia

When I planned this trip, I had intended to rent a bicycle in Nice and ride along along the Cote D'Azur through Monaco and into Italy.  Unfortunately, dark clouds and a forecast of thunderstorms changed those plan, and instead I caught the TER regional train at the Nice train station.

Less than an hour later, after a trip sometimes so close to the Mediterranean I could only see water out the window, I got to the end of the route, the first stop in Italy, a town called Ventimiglia.

From the train station I walked past the bustling market;

down to the seafront;

then across a pedestrian bridge over a little creek;

and up the hill to the old town,

with its pedestrian paths and alleys; 

old buildings;

and great sea views.  

I bought a postcard and mailed it from a little post office up there, then came down after about half an hour of walking.  

Back across the bridge, near the market, I found a restaurant for lunch.  I ate parmigiana, and the couple running the restaurant shook my hand and gave me limoncello to finish off the meal (I was their only customer, and they seemed very enthusiastic to have me).  

I walked back to the train station and took the TER back west to Monaco.

The Monaco train station is underground, and pedestrian tunnels with people movers lead out of the mountain towards the sea.  I had not even seen anything above ground yet and it was already apparent Monaco is a pretty rich place!

Once outside I found the Superdry store I bought my rain jacket from (just kidding, it is actually a knockoff from China).

I moseyed my way up a pedestrian pathway to old Monaco.

Along the way I had some great viewpoints to see most of the rest of the country below.

The old town is where the prince's palace is . . .

. . . as well as a bike-share installation . . . 

. . . and a place to plug in electric cars!

I wandered around the streets here for awhile until I heard thunder in the distance.

I decided this would be a good time to try Monaco's transit, so I boarded the bus #1 and went down past one of the yacht ports . . . 

 to see the casino.

The casino is not like any I have ever been in before!  Much classier and less welcoming than the massive obnoxious places I am used to.

I wandered inside, but turned back quickly because my attire was clearly inappropriate.  The weather was sort of indecisively nasty now, with sporadic rain and extremely loud thunder.  I decided I may as well head back to Nice, so I caught a Cote d'Azur transit bus back to Nice (only €1.50!), where I am spending a second night tonight.